Most movements, whether they be social or political, idolize the outspoken activists, the charismatic leaders, the extroverted posterboy/girl. These are the names that go into history books and get trotted out during month-long retrospectives. But illustrator Elia Mervi‘s The Quiet Resilience Project is not about the feminist icons you’ve heard of, it’s about the women in history you might not have heard of. It’s about the artists, the writers–creative women who showed tremendous strength behind the scenes through their art. “It’s a tribute to all those who fell into complete forgetfulness,” Mervi explains, “but their clear footprints were the first step of the way of feminism, freedom and equality.” Combining pencil sketches and water colors, Mervi creates soft portraits of iconic women like writer Virginia Woolf and artist Camille Claudel. The project is ongoing, so remember to check back for more.